Avatar Zuko
by Reavenger109
Summary: Zuko has a secret that no one except for his Uncle Iroh knows: he is the Avatar. Since his banishment, he has been mastering the earth element. Now there is one question that has to be answered: Will he ever be ready to face his cruel father?
1. Earth

1. Earth

I am Zuko, the crown prince of the Fire Nation. I have a secret that no one can ever know: I am the Avatar.

When I was a young boy, I spoke out of turn at one of my father's war meetings. The general who I spoke out against was not pleased and I was challenged to an Agni Ki. I didn't know that I would have to face the fire lord, my very own father, instead.

When I refused to fight my father, he scarred my face. He said that I had brought shame upon the royal family, and banished me for life. Little did he know, if I had fought him, I would have been victorious. But he didn't, nor does he now know of my great power. I saved the man's life and this how he has chosen to repay me.

Now I have but one task at hand: to master all four elements and save the innocent world from my father's cruel reign.

My uncle Iroh and I now live in secret among the people of the earth kingdom. We will remain here until I master the earth element. Then we will move on to water. Air will be trickier seeing as all of the air benders were slaughtered many years ago. A cruelty that not even I can bring to justice.

Uncle is the only person who knows my secret. He owns a tea shop called the Jasmine Dragon. He runs the shop during the day while I attend my earth bending lessons with Master Moku.

Class is simple today. We practice the basic forms that we will have to perform for graduation.

I am paired up with Hyret, my best friend. As I chuck a rock at his head, which he easily dodges, Master Moku calls an end to class.

"Graduation is tomorrow," he reminds us. "Bring your parents, friends, and family. And remember, in order to graduate, you will have to pass a special test. Be prepared."

He ends class on that note. We all run for the exit and go our separate ways.

Hyret runs up behind me and says, "Ready for that test tomorrow, Lee?"

"I'm always ready."

But honestly, I'm not. I wasn't ready to fight my father on the day of my banishment. I wasn't ready to leave my old life behind. And I'm not ready to face my father now. Will I ever truly be ready?

_To be continued…_


	2. A Simple Task

_Previously on 'Avatar Zuko':_

"_Graduation is tomorrow," he reminds us. "Bring your parents, friends, and family. And remember, in order to graduate, you will have to pass a special test. Be prepared."_

2. A Simple Task

Should I be nervous? Have I truly mastered the earth element? I've practiced hard for these past five years, but is that truly enough time? I know every earthbending technique like the back of my hand, but I realize that that alone does not make a master. Will passing this graduation test today actually prove my skills as a bender? Will passing get me one step closer to defeating my father?…

Today will be a day like no other. Uncle and I make are way towards the earthbending academy. He is the only family _Lee_ has-Lee being my cover name.

Most of my classmates and their families are already here, including Hyret. We join Hyret and his family as we wait for the ceremony to commence.

Soon, Master Moku appears. "Good morning, students and guests. Today is a very special day. You will have to pass a special test which will determine your abilities as an earthbender. Please follow me to the main arena."

Our large group follows Master Moku to the arena. I can't stop myself from shaking. What if I do fail? What will it mean for me as an earthbender? As the Avatar?

When our friends and family are seated, Master Moku splits us into two teams of six. The other group is at one end of the arena, and our team is at the opposite end.

He then explains this 'special' test of his, "This test is very simple, yet highly important. You have been divided into two teams, but you will not be working as a team. You will be graded individually." He then points to the opposing group. "Team One." And then ours. "Team Two. Each member in team one will select an opponent in team two. Those two will duel. Your task is to fight to kill and fight to lose." We all wear confused expressions. "Your completion of this task will determine whether you pass or fail."

"Myter, we'll start with you. Choose an opponent."

I don't think I've ever seen anyone look so nervous in all of my life. Myter is about the same size as me-as are most of my classmates. The only person who is any other size is Dyther, who has to be the largest teenager in the whole earth kingdom! Unfortuantely for me, he's on team one and I on the latter.

Myter still hasn't spoken. His legs are wobbling uncontrollably. But I can't judge him. I would be just as nervous, if not worse, if I were in his position.

"Myter, who do you choose?" Master Moku asks patiently. He's been teaching at this academy for over thirty years now, he knows what type of response to expect.

"I-I choose Hyret." He stammers while pointing nervously at the teammate standing next to me. It's a safe choice. Both Myter and Hyret have about the same earthbending ability, so I'd say they're equally matched.

I look at Hyret from the corner of my eyes. He is smiling, as usual.

Both move closer to the middle of the arena.

"You may begin," announces Master Moku.

They circle each other for a moment, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Eventually, the overconfident Hyret chucks a rock at Myter from behind, catching him off guard. The extremely nervous Myter just barely dodges it. Hyret doesn't waste anytime. He leaps into the air, causing a shower of small, jagged rocks to pour down on the unfortunate Myter.

Everyone one is silent as Myter puts his game face on. He rides a boulder to another section of the arena. Hyret lands on the ground, shocked that his simple technique was unsuccessful. He runs after Myter, chucking rocks at him the whole time. Myter, still riding the boulder, moves this way and that, untouchable.

Hyret is clearly frustrated, stops, puts his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Myter stops, jumps off of the boulder, glances at his helpless opponent, falls backwards, and disappears into the ground.

Obviously, Myter is well prepared for this match. He has a technique used by only true maters, pretended to be intimidated by the assignment so that his opponent would become overconfident, and of course, chose Hyret, my friend who thinks the world of himself. Nice strategy. Why didn't I think of that?

Hyret looks around in confusion. He glances over at me and I just shrug my shoulders.

After long suspension, Myter appears about fifty feet away from Hyret, who has his back turned and has no clue what's going on.

Everyone holds their breath, no one says a word.

Myter then proceeds to send about ten long and extremely sharp rocks in Hyret's direction. I want to say something. Anything. Hyret is my best friend and Myter surely is fighting to kill. But I am at a loss for words and all I can do is watch.

"That is enough!" exclaims Master Moku. But Myter doesn't relent. Master Moku jumps onto the floor of the arena and stops the rocks from killing my best friend.

Hyret, who still has no clue what's going on,-he never was too bright-finally turns around. He's still confused.

"I said that was enough!" shouts Master Moku in a serious tone. "You both fail!"

Everyone is shocked, except for Hyret who is simply confounded.

"Fail!" complains Myter. "I was just about to win the match! How in the world did I fail!"

Master Moku doesn't answer his question. "Ten minute break, everyone. We will continue after that. Students, be prepared!"

_To be continued…_

**Author's Note: In the first chapter, Hyret refers to Zuko by his actual name. But I realized that Iroh and Zuko are incognito, so he will be referred to as **_**Lee**_**, like on the show.**

*****Thanks for the ideas and reviews. I plan on incorporating them into the story. :) **


	3. Encounter of a Spiritual Kind

_Previously on 'Avatar Zuko':_

"_Your task is to fight to kill and fight to lose. Your completion of this task will determine whether you pass or fail."_

3. Encounter of a Spiritual Kind

During the break, I go to a small courtyard near the back of the academy-my special thinking place. I need advice that not even Uncle can provide for me. There is only one being that can truly understand how I feel at this point.

I sit on a bench, surrounded by sweet smelling flowers and something that I strongly desire at this point in time-privacy. After ensuring that the coast is clear, I cross my legs, bend my elbows, and touch the front of my two fists together, meditating.

"_Avatar Aang, I seek your guidance…" I whisper into the wind._

"_It's not often that you find it necessary to contact me, Avatar Zuko, but I am always willing to help you as much as I am able," says the airbending Avatar that came before me. As he speaks, his worldly form appears before me. His worldly form is that of an twelve-year-old, but his wisdom is beyond his earthly years. _

"_Avatar Aang, I'm unsure of what to do. I have already mastered fire, and now I am trying to master the earth element. Will passing this test actually tell me if I'm a true earthbending master? And I'm not even sure how to do that. Master Moku said our task is 'to fight to kill and fight to lose', but I have no idea what that means. How did you deal with mastering anything other than your native element, Avatar Aang?"_

"_Young Zuko, you have much to learn. You are still young and have not lived long enough to understand everything about life. Though I don't believe that anybody knows _everything._ I want to show you something."_

_The courtyard vanishes and is replaced by thousands of clouds._

"_Where are we?"_

"_We are in a place that is between your world and mine."_

_Soon a giant flying bison descends from the sky and lands just a few feet in front of us. _

_I've never seen a flying bison before, and am a bit skeptical about riding on it; they were all wiped out with the airbenders-a subject that I would love to ask Avatar Aang…_

"_It's okay, Avatar Zuko. Don't be frightened by Appa. He doesn't bite. And you can ask me anything."_

_My fears relieved, I go to pet the bison on the head to let it know that I'm friend. As I do, it opens its mouth open slightly, ready to chomp._

_I run away quickly._

"_Well, not often," corrects Avatar Aang and we both laugh uncontrollably. _

_I join Avatar Aang on Appa and we fly off into the sky. Even though he has given me permission to ask him my question, I just can't. His entire race was killed. How do you just come out and ask someone how he feels about that?_

_So we ride on in silence, until we reach a place that I never thought I'd see in my entire life-the Southern Air Temple. _

_But the real shock of my life is when I see actual people in it! "I thought the air temple were completely abandoned?" _

"_That is true. But it wasn't a long time ago."_

_Appa lands in the courtyard of the air temple. A few young boys are playing some sort of airbending game._

"_This way," instructs Avatar Aang. I notice that he is wearing the same type of clothing as the other young monks._

_We walk through the air temple until we reach a certain room. In it sit five older monks and Avatar Aang (in earlier years) is standing before them._

"_Aang," says one of the monks, "we were going to wait until you were sixteen, but certain things are happening in the world that cannot be put off any longer. War is upon us and we need your help. Aang, _you _are the Avatar."_

_The young monk is stunned beyond belief. "There must be some sort of mistake. I can't be Avatar! I just can't be!"_

"_Please, Aang. Try to understand. We wanted to wait to tell you this when you were more mature. But this matter can wait no longer. You're training will commence tomorrow."_

_Clouds fill the room as we are brought to another point in time. The young Avatar Aang eavesdrops on the older monks, who are having some sort of secret meeting:_

"_Aang is not ready to bear the weight of the entire world on his shoulders," argues one of them. "His is but a child."_

"_If these were normal times, Gyatso, then you would be right. But times have changed and evil is upon us. We must protect our people before it is too late and Aang is the key to that."_

"_But-"_

"_That is the end of it, Gyatso. I'm sorry to have to say this, but we must send Aang away It's not a good idea for you to be so attached to the boy. It distracts him from his training. He needs better training than we can provide him, anyway."_

_The monk named Gyatso stands up, nods, and walks out of the room. We follow the young Avatar Aang as he makes his way to his bedroom._

_He quickly packs his things and sneaks of the air temple, onto Appa, and flies off into the midnight sky._

_A terrible storm develops and Appa is knocked down into the freezing ocean. This is extremely hard to watch, but I sense that all of this will tie together somehow. _

_The clouds surround us again and this time we are returned to the place where we first entered into this non-my-world-non-Spirit-World place (whatever it's called)._

"_What have you learned, Zuko?"_

_I think about that for a moment. What did I learn: that Avatar Aang lived at the Southern Air Temple, learned that he was the Avatar at the age of twelve, panicked, and ran away in his people's time of need. But how could I possibly judge him for that. I was an immature child, too, when I learned of my destiny._

"_I learned that two opposites sometimes make one whole. Like when a person has to make a decision. Well, with a decision, you usually have two choices. Like you, for example. You had the choice of leaving everything you always knew and loved, or try to find somewhere where you could be happier than you currently were. But ultimately, both choices effected your happiness-whether negatively or positively doesn't matter. They're two opposite halves that amount up to one whole. _

"_The same thing applies to Master Moku's task and mastering the earth element. Fighting to kill means giving it your all. But fighting to lose means having control. Giving it your all and having control are two opposites, but ultimately, they both affect your fighting style._

"_And as far as being a _master_. Well, since I'm the Avatar, it's different. Mastering all four elements will complete my entire process of being a true Avatar master. All four will balance each other out. _

"_Well put, Avatar Zuko. And further questions?"_

"_Not at this point. But if I ever need you again-" _

"_You know how to contact me. Feel free to do so whenever you need me. I am apart of you, along with your other past lives."_

"_Thank you, Avatar Aang."_

_He simply nods and fades away._

When I come back to _my _world, I am still in solitude. Hopefully no one saw. I've never risked a Spirit World journey before. Just as I stand up and head back towards the arena, a voice softly calls behind me, "So you're the Avatar, huh?"

I'm screwed!

_To be continued..._


	4. Little Miss Sunshine

_Previously on 'Avatar Zuko':_

_Just as I stand up and head back towards the arena, a voice softly calls behind me, "So you're the Avatar, huh?" I'm screwed!_

4. Little Miss Sunshine

I spin around quickly. A young girl in a short green dress stands before me. Her black hair is in one huge bun with two strands of hair dangling in front of her face.

"Who are you?!" I exclaim. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm Toph. A.k.a. 'the Blind Bandit'-earthbender extraordinaire."

I truly look at the young girl's face for the first time. Her eyes, something so different about their light green shade-she _is_ blind.

"I get that a lot," she sighs.

"Um, I'm Lee," I awkwardly extend my hand. "Earthbender."

"_Slash _airbender, _slash _firebender, _slash _waterbender."

I cover my hand over her mouth. _Shh!_

"So you're not denying it!" she whispers as I remove my hand from her face.

"What makes you think that I'm the Avatar?"

"Well, I get around town…" she says then begins to giggle. "Actually, a friend asked me to come. And I just saw you go into the Spirit World. Don't try to deny it. I can tell if you're lying or not."

"A friend-who?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out-but not right now."

"Wait. What's going on? I don't even know who you are. The Blind Bandit, you say?"

"Don't tell me you've never been to Earth Rumble VI?!"

"Uhh…"

"Well, that's beside the point right now. All you need to worry about is that I'm here to assist you. You're the Avatar. You need a personal master. Master Moku is a wonderful teacher, but you need one-on-one training, which I can give you."

Wait a minute. How in the world is some blind, twelve-year-old girl going to offer to teach me-the _Avatar_-how to earthbend?

"You know what Toph… I didn't catch your last name?"

"Nor did I catch yours."

She got me there.

"Okay, Miss Blind Bandit. I'll make you a deal. If you can prove to me that you're a true earthbending master, I'll let you become my official teacher. And if you don't prove me wrong, you must swear not to tell anyone my secret."

She spits into her palm and extends her hand. "Deal."

Wow, that's so _not _disgusting. "I'll just take your word for it."

"Whatever," she sighs as she wipes her hands on her dress.

Yeah, this Blind Bandit surely is a 'little miss sunshine'. I laugh at my own joke.

"What's so funny?" insists Toph.

"Oh, nothing," I lie as we make our way to the arena.

"I know you're lying!" she exclaims and bends a small rock which unexpectedly hits me on the head.

Little miss sunshine, indeed.

_To be continued…_


End file.
